Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (repealed)Show full title

CHAPTER VIII: WILD GAME U.K.

A. Post-mortem inspection U.K.

1. Wild game is to be inspected as soon as possible after admission to the game handling establishment. U.K.

2. The official veterinarian is to take account of the declaration or information that the trained person involved in hunting the animal has provided in accordance with Regulation (EC) No .../2004(1). U.K.

3. During post-mortem inspection, the official veterinarian is to carry out: U.K.

(a)

a visual examination of the carcase, its cavities and, where appropriate, organs with a view to:

(i)

detecting any abnormalities not resulting from the hunting process. For this purpose, the diagnosis may be based on any information that the trained person has provided concerning the behaviour of the animal before killing,

(ii)

checking that death was not caused by reasons other than hunting.

If an assessment cannot be made on the basis of visual examination alone, a more extensive inspection must be carried out in a laboratory;

(b)

an investigation of organoleptic abnormalities;

(c)

palpation of organs, where appropriate;

(d)

where there are serious grounds for suspecting the presence of residues or contaminants, an analysis by sampling of residues not resulting from the hunting process, including environmental contaminants. When a more extensive inspection is made on the basis of such suspicions, the veterinarian must wait until that inspection has been concluded before assessing all the game killed during a specific hunt, or those parts suspected of showing the same abnormalities;

(e)

examination for characteristics indicating that the meat presents a health risk, including:

(i)

abnormal behaviour or disturbance of the general condition of the live animal, as reported by the hunter,

(ii)

the generalised presence of tumours or abscesses affecting different internal organs or muscles,

(iii)

arthritis, orchitis, pathological changes in the liver or the spleen, inflammation of the intestines or the umbilical region,

(iv)

the presence of foreign bodies not resulting from the hunting process in the body cavities, stomach or intestines or in the urine, where the pleura or peritoneum are discoloured (when relevant viscera are present),

(v)

the presence of parasites,

(vi)

formation of a significant amount of gas in the gastrointestinal tract with discolouring of the internal organs (when these viscera are present),

(vii)

significant abnormalities of colour, consistency or odour of muscle tissue or organs,

(viii)

aged open fractures,

(ix)

emaciation and/or general or localised oedema,

(x)

recent pleural or peritoneal adhesions, and

(xi)

other obvious extensive changes, such as putrefaction.

4. Where the official veterinarian so requires, the vertebral column and the head are to be split lengthwise. U.K.

5. In the case of small wild game not eviscerated immediately after killing, the official veterinarian is to carry out a post-mortem inspection on a representative sample of animals from the same source. Where inspection reveals a disease transmissible to man or any of the characteristics listed in paragraph 3(e), the official veterinarian is to carry out more checks on the entire batch to determine whether it must be declared unfit for human consumption or whether each carcase must be inspected individually. U.K.

6. In the event of doubt, the official veterinarian may perform any further cuts and inspections of the relevant parts of the animals necessary to reach a final diagnosis. U.K.

B. Decisions following controls U.K.

In addition to the cases provided for in Section II, Chapter V, meat presenting during post-mortem inspection any of the characteristics listed in paragraph 3(e) of Part A are to be declared unfit for human consumption.

(1)

Note for Official Journal: Insert No of Regulation laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (see recital 1, 2nd Regulation).